Snare clamp for a drum

Abstract

A snare clamp assembly that provides multiple independently adjustable elements for adjustment of a portion of the snares without affecting the adjustment of the remaining snares. This clamp assembly includes a primary element, a secondary element that is adjustably coupled to the primary element, and a tertiary element adjustably coupled to the secondary element.

I claim: 
     
       1. A snare drum comprising: a shell having a first end and a second end,   a batter head attached to the first end and a snare head attached to the second end,   a plurality of snares disposed adjacent the snare head,   means attached to the shell for tensioning the snares, and   means for attaching the snares to the tensioning means, comprising a primary element and a secondary element adjustably coupled to the primary element for gripping a first sub-group of the plurality of snares and at least one tertiary element adjustably coupled to the secondary element for gripping a second sub-group of the plurality of snares.   
     
     
       2. The snare drum of claim 1, wherein the tension in the first and second sub-groups of the plurality of snares can be adjusted independently. 
     
     
       3. The snare drum of claim 2, wherein the means for attaching the snares to the tensioning means comprises at least two tertiary elements and the second sub-group of snares comprises a plurality of sub-sets of snares and the secondary element and the at least two tertiary elements further comprise means for selectively adjusting snares so that each sub-set of the second sub-group of snares can be individually adjusted. 
     
     
       4. The snare drum of claim 2, wherein the secondary element is formed to include a channel, and the at least one tertiary element operably lies within the channel. 
     
     
       5. The snare drum of claim 4, wherein the channel is formed in the center of the secondary element. 
     
     
       6. The snare drum of claim 4, wherein the channel is formed at an end of the secondary element. 
     
     
       7. The snare drum of claim 1, wherein the attaching means further comprises means for adjusting a tilt angle of the elements. 
     
     
       8. The snare drum of claim 7, wherein the means for adjusting further comprises a plurality of cable-receiving bores formed in one of the elements and a plurality of connecting cables attached to the tensioning means, with each of the plurality of connecting cables passing through a plurality of cable-receiving bores. 
     
     
       9. A snare clamp in combination with a snare drum having snares and a strainer, the clamp comprising: a primary element,   a secondary element adjustably coupled to the primary element for cooperating with the primary element to grip a first sub-group of snares,   at least one tertiary element adjustably coupled to the secondary element for cooperating with the secondary element to grip a second sub-group of snares, and   means for attaching the primary element to the strainer.   
     
     
       10. The clamp of claim 9, wherein the primary and secondary elements have gripping surfaces and the first sub-group of snares is positioned therebetween and the secondary and at least one tertiary elements have gripping surfaces and the second sub-group of snares is positioned therebetween. 
     
     
       11. The clamp of claim 9, further comprising at least two tertiary elements and the second sub-group of snares comprises a plurality of sub-sets of snares and the secondary element and the at least two tertiary elements further comprise means for selectively adjusting snares so that each sub-set of the second sub-group of snares can be individually adjusted. 
     
     
       12. The clamp of claim 11, wherein the secondary and the at least two tertiary elements have facing gripping surfaces and the sub-sets of the second sub-group of snares are positioned therebetween 
     
     
       13. The clamp of claim 9, wherein the means for attaching the primary element to the strainer includes means for adjusting a tilt angle of the snare clamp. 
     
     
       14. The clamp of claim 13, wherein the means for attaching comprises a plurality of cylindrical cable-receiving bores formed in the primary element and a plurality of connecting cables passing through the cable-receiving bores. 
     
     
       15. The clamp of claim 14, wherein each connecting cable passes through a plurality of cable-receiving bores and is attached to the strainer. 
     
     
       16. In a snare drum having a shell with a batter end, a snare end, a batter head attached to the batter end, a snare head attached to the snare end, a plurality of snares disposed adjacent the snare head, a strainer attached to the shell, the improvement comprising and a clamp for attaching the snares to the strainer, the clamp comprising: a primary element,   a secondary element removably coupled to the primary element for gripping a first group of the plurality of snares, and   one tertiary element removably coupled   at least one tertiary element removably coupled to the secondary element for gripping a second group of the plurality of snares.   
     
     
       17. The clamp of claim 16, further comprising means for adjusting a tilt angle of the clamp. 
     
     
       18. The clamp of claim 17, wherein the adjusting means comprises cylindrical bores formed in the clamp and connecting cables attached to the strainer and passing through the cylindrical bores. 
     
     
       19. The clamp of claim 16, wherein the primary and secondary elements cooperate to form a first vice for holding the first group of snares and the secondary element and the at least one tertiary element cooperate to form a second vice for holding the second group of snares. 
     
     
       20. The clamp of claim 19, wherein the second group of snares comprises a plurality of sub-groups of snares and the secondary element and the at least one tertiary element further comprise means for selectively adjusting snares so that each sub-group of the second group of snares can be individually adjusted without affecting the adjustment of the other sub-groups of snares. 
     
     
       21. A snare drum comprising: a shell having a batter end and a snare end,   a batter head attached to the batter end and a snare head attached to the snare end,   a plurality of snares disposed adjacent to the snare head,   a strainer attached to the shell,   means for attaching the snares to the strainer, and   means for adjusting a tilt angle of the attaching means, the adjusting means comprising a plurality of connecting cables and a plurality of cable-receiving cylindrical bores for each connecting cable.   
     
     
       22. The drum of claim 21, wherein the attaching means further comprises a clamp and the cylindrical bores are formed in the clamp and the cables pass through the plurality of cylindrical bores and are attached to the strainer. 
     
     
       23. The drum of claim 22, wherein the clamp comprises a primary element, a secondary element removably coupled to the primary element for gripping a first group of the plurality of snares, and at least one tertiary element removably coupled to the secondary element for gripping a second group of the plurality of snares. 
     
     
       24. The drum of claim 22, wherein the secondary element is formed to include a channel in the middle thereof and the at least one tertiary element operably fits in the channel. 
     
     
       25. The drum of claim 22, wherein the secondary element includes a channel formed at one end thereof and the at least on tertiary element operably fits in the channel.